Teachers hopeful about possible salary settlement

A sigh of relief went up in Greeley-Evans School District 6 on Friday.

After months of frozen salaries and no movement between negotiators, teachers finally saw light at the end of the tunnel.

“I could just feel the stress level lower in my building,” said Judy Bennett, a teacher at Billie Martinez Elementary. “It’s just been so high lately.”

Teacher and district representatives reached a tentative salary settlement Thursday. The possible settlement was outlined to teachers in a private meeting Friday afternoon at Heath Middle School, and teachers were instructed not to discuss details of the settlement until they vote on it.

Sources who did not wish to be identified said the settlement included a 0.5 percent cost-of-living raise and compensation for three of the four days added to the school year, in addition to a 3.75 percent step increase. All those increases added together computes to a 5.9 percent increase for most of the district’s teachers.

Originally, teachers had asked for a total 7.5 percent increase: 3.75 for steps, 1.5 percent cost-of-living raise and compensation for all four of the extra school days, or 2.2 percent.

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The settlement will not be official until it is ratified by both the teachers and the district school board.

Teachers interviewed said the settlement seemed fair to both sides.

“It wasn’t everything we wanted, but you have to know its negotiations,” said Henry Roberts, a teacher at the Platte Valley Detention Center.

Pat Kennedy, a teacher at Cameron Elementary, agreed.

“I think it was fair. We got some of what we wanted, and they got some of what they wanted,” she said.

“I think this settlement shows the school district cares about teachers.”

The tentative settlement is the first public sign of movement of a months-long disagreement between teachers and the district.

Teachers have publicly expressed their frustration by picketing the school board on numerous occasions.

Now many teachers are keeping their fingers crossed that the school board will approve the agreement.

“I think they want to get this over as much as we do,” Bennett said.

For now, just seeing a possible end to negotiations is enough for Jennifer Olsen, a teacher at John Evans Middle School.

“I just think it’s a relief that we’re one step closer to where we can move on,” she said.